To Be A Lady
by Aikee
Summary: Danielle has had to take on the mantle of responsibility at a young ageshe does the job, but can she be happy? Another Cinderella where she has the power. R&R please!
1. Chapter 1

Magic is not always what you think it is.

Typical magic is always an inconvenience. It comes, and you think it is what you want, but it never works out they way you want it to.

Lets say you were given three wishes. What would you do with them? If you wished for wealth, good. You're wealthy. Now you have admirer who hang on your every word. If you are a young man, they hang on your every limb. You are in the spotlight now, and if you do the wrong thing at the wrong time, they will hate you for your wealth. Why should the rascals flourish like the chestnut tree?

If something is truly worth getting, it is worth working for. Love is worth working for. It is rarely easy.

This is the tale of a girl who has had to work all her life, and yet has loved someone but once. She is bound by duty, honor, and the promise of freedom, but love had little to do with it.

Find out for yourself.


	2. Chapter 2

A lady must only read suitable tales. These include a dainty, polite, charming heroine with the perfect family who somehow gets into trouble, but comes though using her daintiness, manners, and charm to snare some poor soul into marriage.

If real life is like that, then I must become crazy at once.

Mother and Father suffered from an arranged marriage. Or they would have, if they had been at all intelligent about the matter. Their parents told them they would be getting married, so they both decided to run away. As it happened, they fell in love at some dinner party and decided to run away together. Then they found out they were to marry each other, so they decided to not take the trouble of running away and risk family and fortune. Of course, they could have just asked their parents the name of the girl, but that would have been too easy.

Unfortunately, mother died after giving birth to my self. Strike one against the perfect family. But while I wish she hadn't died, I would be lying if I said I missed her. I barely knew the woman. And Father never talked of her, being too deep in grief to mention her name without unbelievable sorrow.

But then a lady he met at court managed to cure all his woes and give him new life. Lady Victoria Teresa was quite a character. I was only eight when she joined our household through the inconvenience of marriage, but she made her presence known.

Before she even entered the house, you smelled her. It was a heavy stench of body odor covered with very fragrant perfumes and lotions. Probably one of the most vividly etched smells in my memory. I suppose I should be kind, after all, we were miles away from her former home. It had been a two-day journey. But you would think she would have done something…

When she entered, it was a large cloud of pink. I had never seen a true lady's gown before, let alone an overdone one. It was certainly a sensation, though probably not of the kind the lady wanted. Behind her came a smaller ball of fluff, this one in a strange shade of yellow I had only ever seen in my mush at breakfast. The smaller ball was seen to have matching yellow hair, elaborately curled.

While the smaller ball stood in the corner, the pink lady came up to me and gave me a huge, enveloping hug. "And this must be the young dear!" She _cooed_. She didn't talk like every servant at the house, or yell like the farmhands. She cooed like a pigeon, except that she didn't sound as nice. She continued cooing as she said,

"Why, aren't you the little lady! Keeping this house so nice while your papa's away with me! Why, you must be positively lonesome here in this big fancy house! You are such a doll."

_I _was choking from a combination of the stench, the frills, and he words. I had been stealing books since I was six. And I had never, _never_ been talked to that way before. Let's see-my social circle had only ever consisted of my father and the various people he hired to do his work for him. Father talked to me, but the servants were the ones who made sure I ate, slept, and kept my hair brushed-no small task. Between them, I had all the society I wanted.

Anyhow, the pink lady continued to state her name, insisted that I call her Mama, and that the yellow fluff behind her was my new sister, Alexandria Lily Rose Eugenia. If Victoria (I _refused _to call her mama) wanted to name her kid ridiculously, then why didn't she name her Al?

The next part of my life was full of fluff, "finishing lessons," and new decorations that served no purpose. Father believed that the household belonged to the ladies, and that meant Victoria. The house went from a Spartan house to a cushy marshmallow. Even my room did not escape unchanged- it was redecorated to a shade of blue that looked remarkably like robin's eggs, but not nearly as interesting.

At one point Victoria even hired a governess. Miss Sarah was a tall, angular old spinster who firmly believed in the values of being a lady. Al got along with her very well--poor Al wanted nothing more than to be a lady and marry the prince. I thought that was silly, and told her so. After all, we were only ten. Love was icky stuff for grown-ups.

I, however, did not get on at all with Miss Sarah. While I wasn't a tomboy, per say, I was certainly never going to be a lady. I liked the outdoors and books that didn't coat everything in syrup. Heaven forbid, I was good at figures. I also didn't like getting prettied up. Everything was pointless, this stichery and manners and dancing. Someone thought they were important, so I learned them, but that didn't mean that I liked it.


	3. Chapter 3

Now, as I look back, I wonder how I could have been so careless.

My father died. No one knows how or why. He had always been careless himself, but one day he simply fell off his horse and died.

My father died. He left me alone. The one person who had talked to me, who didn't care what I said. I never took him for granted. The one who named me Danielle, for light. I was his light. I was so, so careless with his love for me.

He died. He left me an entire estate. I had to go over figures. Men in black robes said that the estate had been failing, as compared to previous earnings. I had to digest facts and figures from men in black robes days after my papa died.

He left me alone. I am sixteen. I have an estate on my hands, as well as two useless women who helped drive the estate into debt. I was supposed to come out in society, like a normal girl. He died.

I am going to have to set my own course. There is no one to turn to for help. I am the only one who can control my future. There is no one, no one, not one…

My papa died. The one who bounced me on my knee when I was very small. The one who brought books even when his wife told him they were not needed. The one who put up with my not caring about his happiness. The one who married an idiotic female after that part of his heart died, just for me to have a mother.

A father died today. Who knows what pain others go though. I don't know. I am dazed. The sounds of the last clods of dirt are still resonating in my head. Each a final goodbye. I never told him I loved him.

My papa died, and I never told him I loved him.


	4. Chapter 4

It has been two years now since Papa died. Funny I should use that name for him, as I hated it whenever Victoria said it.

As I had said before, shortly after his death, two men came to see me. They told me that my father had failed to write a will. While the law of the land stated it be left to the next of kin who was male, there was no one. Everyone had died. So, the men said that upon examining the matter, they had decided that I would receive the estate in full.

Their choices were slim. It was going to be Victoria or me.

And so a young sixteen-year-old with a head for books came to possess a failing estate in debt. Fortunately, none of it was substantial on its own; it was mostly little things that Papa had left unpaid. But together it was worth worrying about.

Using the elementary basics of economics I knew, I tried to get the farm back into order. However, I soon learned that text is not always the way to go. Edward, my father's steward, was of great help. He pretty much ran the farm, I merely gave the order. Last year was enough to pay the debts, this year I will be able to get Victoria into town with Al.

Victoria and Al both were ridiculous in their requests. Neither of them realized that when you have no money, you have no fluff. They continued to make demands for more fluff when there was none to be had. You would think they would learn after a while.

Victoria had kept some standing in court all these years. While she was never in anyone's particular circle, she kept circulating like a piece of driftwood in the lake.

This year, however, I hoped to send her to the capital for the season with Al. Then they would both be out of my hair and I would be able to shut off all social communication and focus on improving the estate so I could leave.

If I had learned something from books, it was that there is more out there. There is more than just plantations and social gossip and reading out of books. If I could travel, I could see and do so much more.

And it would get me away from the memories…

But I won't go there.

But if I could get the farm to produce enough to support Victoria, Al, and itself, and get the means to travel, then I could leave for a while at least.

Whenever I am particularly stressed, I go to the lake.

Our estate's redeeming quality is the lake that surrounds it. There is a forest bordering it on the north side that technically belongs to the king, but he is so old that he never visits. Sometimes, though, I hear the hunting horns. Disgusting sport. Waste of good horses and dogs, let alone the creatures being hunted. You would think that royalty had enough food.

Back in the house, Victoria called me to her sitting room.

Living with Victoria meant there were certain rules, unspoken ones, but both parties agreed. While I held the purse strings, she held power over all social engagements. She held her kingdom over the majority of the rooms in the house, excepting the kitchens, my bedroom, the library, and the adjoining room where I did my work and wrote letters of business.

We had come to one spoken agreement, however. We both agreed that Al needed to be married. I knew this because she would never be able to stand on her own two feet. While her mother had no problems supporting her, I had no desire to.

Problem was that if a suitable man should call, why should Al have competition around. I hated society in general, but I would have to be present. So, I hatched a plan.

Victoria had to announce who was coming. I then could put on one of two different costumes: that of relaxed hostess, or that of slightly dirty maid. I only became the hostess when it was business. And when Victoria told me (with great pride) that she had secured a visit from Prince Alexander, I definitely decided to play the maid. That would be much more fun, as well as less embarrassing.


	5. Chapter 5

All was set for the Prince's tea. Victoria and Al had gotten into matching frilly concoctions for garments. I was in a dress I had sewn that looked exactly like the maid outfits. A handkerchief covered my hair, and I was set.

The mother -daughter pair arranged themselves on the couch. The contrast between the two women was startling. Victoria was all curves and padding, for the years of eating had not been good to her. Al, on the other hand, had taken the idea of "fashionably thin" too far. She was all angles and bones. The gauntness of her face made her eyes look huge, their dull green color contrasting weirdly with her lank blond hair. She never ate, and so was unusually unhealthy, but nothing could convince her to eat.

I stood in the back, watching the pair as they waited for the prince to show up. When he did, he surprised me. What I expected was a rich, pompous brat who would insult us politely, then leave. But what I saw was a reserved boy my own age who certainly was not the dream that all the country girls giggled over when they came to visit.

He was tall, to be sure. I was tall for my age, and he would still stand a head or two over me. He was also wiry, but not athletically so. He had curly sandy-brown hair and brown eyes. He wouldn't scare anyone off, but he wasn't a Prince Charming.

Victoria, the prince commenting occasionally, mostly led the conversation. The weather, the latest fashion, the best dressmaker…I zoned out while pouring tea, and ended up dropping the china, my mother's best, on Al's lap. Fortunately, her abundant frills soaked up the tea, so she was not burned. Victoria took it upon herself to make this the topic of conversation.

"You stupid girl! Clean up this mess immediately! Be grateful my china did not break! Your Highness, this girl is an idiot. Her father was one as well, he never controlled her. I took her in out of charity. Ella! Clean this up _now!_"

I was an idiot! I tried keeping my anger under control, but it was too much. While I was acting as a servant, the real ones got more respect than this. She was merely trying to impress, but at the expense of my character. Before I went off on Victoria (my temper was fast rising) there was still a guest. I faced the prince, regally, and told him,

"Your Highness, I am sorry for the inconvenience. Perhaps it would be best if you left _my house_ and came back at another time."

While he certainly looked confused in the change of the mild servant girl, he took the hint and decamped immediately.

As soon as his horse was heard riding away, I turned on Victoria.

"How _dare _you! I've kept up with this house for the past two years while you were too busy with your own gowns to notice that we have nothing compared to the nobles! I worked _hard_ to make this land profitable, to pay for your food and your clothes and your frills and pillows. When I _choose_ to be a servant, I still expect respect as such. And you should be _ashamed_ of yourself for speaking ill of your late husband, and my FATHER!"

I was tempted to leave right then and there, but then I saw Al. While Victoria may be a nuisance, Al had no hope whatsoever. But I was head of the house, not Victoria, and Al was my sister, the only female my age I had ever known. I despised her, but I could not abandon her to her mother.

I left for the woods.


	6. Chapter 6

When among the trees, I sat down.

The trees had always been my refuge. I had come out here daily after Papa died. It was a place I could be left in peace.

Or at least until today, when I hear footsteps behind me.

Looking up, I saw the prince passing by me. He seemed lost in thought. I thought I should make my presence known, so that he did not find out by other means, as I was still on the ground, and he was in real danger of stepping on me.

Standing up, I curtsied, and murmured, "Your Highness" That woke him up. He looked amazed, that the servant he had seen in the parlor was now standing out here greeting him like it was perfectly normal. Seeing as he had no words, I began to ramble.

"I apologize for that display earlier, Your Highness. You see, I am the Lady Victoria's step-daughter, and I dislike company, and yet I need to know what is going on. That is why I adopted the disguise of a maid. When the Lady began to insult my father's character, I fell out of my disguise. I apologize.

He began to talk. "No need to apologize. I understand the dilemma you had on your hands. I only wonder why a lady would wish to be a servant in their own home. Now, do you like the forest?"

That was an odd question. "Well, yes, I do. It is one of the few places I can relax."

"Surely the life of a lady is not full of trouble."

"Sometimes you wonder…"

"But you have no responsibilities, at least compared to whoever runs your estate."

This is exactly why I dislike young noblemen so much. They assume that a girl could not do anything worthwhile. "Well, I beg to differ. Running an estate is a lot of work, and as a lady, I can tell you it is very difficult."

"_You_ run the estate?"

"Yes, I do. Can you fault the circumstances"

"It would help if I knew what the circumstances were."

"Then I suppose you cannot, as I will not share that much of my personal life to a stranger."

"I apologize. That was rude of me. However, running an estate must be less stressful than some things."

"Such as what?"

He looked tired. "Such as being trained to run a kingdom."

I gave him a half-smile. "That would be rather stressful. I wonder, do you like the woods here?"

HE returned the half-smile. "Yes, for much the same reasons as you. I can see clearly here, unlike in other places."

"But it must be a bit of a journey to get here."

He shrugged. "Not when you have a sturdy horse and decent weather."

"I suppose…"

We stood in silence for a bit. Then I spoke again.

"I belive, Your Highness, we have many similarities."

"So it would seem. What is your name, by the way?"

"Danielle. And I know yours…"

"Yes, it is a common name, is it not?"

"Especially since our prince adopted it." I was grinning now, as was he. About what, I have little idea.

"Well, the prince must be a trendsetter. I should like you to call me Alex, my lady."

"As I would like you to call me Danielle."

"Very well. Would you like to meet again, Danielle?"

"Only if randomly. How about tomorrow afternoon?"

"Of course. May I escort you home?"

"No, that would be unnecessary. Good day, Alex."

"Good day, Danielle."


End file.
